Building a strong economy means having an educated work force, as was discussed recently at a Maine Employers’ Initiative forum in Dover-Foxcroft hosted by the Maine Community Foundation’s Piscataquis County Committee.

Gathered at the Penquis Higher Education Center for the forum, attendees agreed that better educated workers make for a stronger economy, but expressed concern that too many younger workers lack the fundamentals of providing good customer service, including decent communication skills. They also often don’t show up for work on time or follow through on commitments.

What can we do to ensure that Maine’s work force is ready? One out-of-state employer began requiring an associate’s degree for all entry-level workers. The employer had greater confidence that new employees were more work-ready, were prepared to follow through on tasks and possessed well-developed critical thinking and communications skills.

Both the panel and members of the forum audience suggested that apprenticeships, certifications and licenses provide important pathways to higher education. Employers suggested that individual courses targeting “soft skills” like time management, team building and customer service would be valuable to employees and employers. They also noted an increased need for computer and technology training.

At the forum, two leading Piscataquis County employers, Mayo Regional Hospital and InterfaceFABRIC, provided examples of incentives that encourage their workers to pursue additional training.

The hospital’s chief executive officer, Ralph Gabarro, discussed the hospital’s recruitment and retention programs. Educational debt forgiveness for physicians and collaborations with local middle schools are two of the hospital’s successful programs focused on recruitment. Concerning retention, Gabarro described the hospital’s tuition assistance program, which focuses on encouraging personnel to pursue advanced degrees. He also reinforced the idea that employers offering to pay for courses up front can help remove one of the significant barriers to pursuing higher education.

Stephanie Bunker, manager of training and development at InterfaceFABRIC in Guilford, helped address the comment, “After I pay for their degree, won’t they leave?” by sharing her own success story.

Bunker obtained a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Maine while employed by InterfaceFABRIC in human resources. “The company supported my MBA quest and paid for my degree,” she said; “I have been with the company 15 years and was recently promoted to my current position.” Both Bunker and Gabarro commented on the goals of training and degree attainment, stating that employees who feel valued are more productive and more inclined to stay.

Theresa Mudgett of the Training and Development Corp. and Merlene Sanborn of the Penquis Higher Education Center discussed their organizations’ efforts to support workers as they return to the classroom. Sanborn mentioned two new programs the center is working on to address needs identified in Piscataquis County: a partnership between PHEC and the Maine Crafts Association to offer a craft curriculum; and a plumbing course, currently offered in northern and Down East Maine.

Forum participants suggested that similar conversations related to building an educated work force be held in other regions in the state. As part of the Maine Employers’ Initiative, the Maine Community Foundation and Maine Development Foundation are exploring further collaboration toward achieving their ambitious goal: to make Maine residents among the best-educated in America by 2019.

Meredith Jones is vice president for program development and grantmaking services at the Maine Community Foundation. She moderated “The Maine Employers’ Initiative: Building an Educated Workforce in Piscataquis” on Nov. 6. For more information on the initiative, contact Melanie Arsenault, senior program director, Maine Development Foundation, 626-3124 or marsenault@mdf.org.